Violet picked out a sweater, and Lavinia a pair of boots.
Velvetina’s face lit up when Maeve told her she’s be purchasing the entire line, and she thanked Maeve incessantly until the girls left.
They were seated in Miss Moonstew’s, an ice cream and tea shop after they finished their shopping. Maeve sipped what the humans called a London Fog, Magicals sometimes called it a Grey Sunset, while Violet interrogated her about all the time she was spending with Mal.
“He’s my tutor,” sighed Maeve. “And not even the one I wanted.”
Violet huffed. “Still. You were at the duel last night and you never come to those-”
“What do you want me to say?” Maeve asked, becoming annoyed.
“She’s jealous,” said Lavinia, smiling as though she had just uncovered a secret.
The shade of pink Violet’s face turned solidified Lavinia’s accusation.
“Oh bloody hell,” said Maeve, grimacing. “Is that why you’ve been up my ass lately?”
Lavinia’s jaw dropped and Violet’s jaw clenched.
“Maeve!” Hissed Violet, her eyes darting around the shop.
“I didn’t mean to-” started Lavinia looking concerned, but Maeve cut her off with a raised hand.
“It doesn’t matter Patty, I’m not mad. It’s just funny that I couldn’t see it before,” said Maeve in an icy tone.
Violet swallowed hard and put on a brave face. “I know you don’t even like him like that. Everyone knows you fancy Alphard Mavros.”
“Keep your voice down,” warned Maeve as a few heads had turned their way upon the mention of Alphard’s name.
“But I guess you’ve moved on now that Alphard has left school,” Violet whispered, looking away from Maeve.
“I doubt that’s true,” said Lavinia, attempting to diffuse the tension. “Besides, it’s not even worth your time, Vi. In three years he barely pays girls attention for long. He’s too focused on his studies. And remember what happened to. . .”
Lavinia didn’t finish her sentence, for which Maeve was grateful. Violet frowned at Maeve, and sipped her tea silently for the remainder of their time at Miss Moonstrew’s.
In less than an hour, Maeve grew bored and made an excuse to head back to the portal. This caused much whining from Violet, which Maeve promptly ignored.
Maeve walked in silence down the narrow alleys of Magical shops and restaurants.
Once, she was told, there was a great Kingdom that was theirs. Much like the humans had on Earth. Vast cities with Magical flowing freely. Now they were bound to a life in hiding. On a planet that wasn’t home.
But the shops in London and Paris, New York and Milan were glamoured away, undetectable to a human.
She turned down another street, which opened up into a small park with stone archways and a fountain.
The Magical Militia meant to provide the portal back to Vaukore were across the grassy lawn. They didn’t acknowledge her arrival as she approached them. They carried on with their own conversation.
“I’d like to go back to the school,” she said.
They fell silent and looked at her.
“The portal doesn’t open back up for another hour,” replied one of the soldiers. The tallest among them. “Miss Sinclair.”
He only said that to make sure she knew he knew who she was. Maeve smiled at this.
“What’s your name?”
“Nigel Ferrmont,” he said.
